Thursday, March 6, 2008

cfp2008.org Computers, Freedom and Policy (CFP) 08, May 20-23 at Yale.

Want to attend the Computers, Freedom and Policy (CFP) conference 08 on Technology Policy, May 20-23 in New Haven, CT? Yale's Law and Media Program is offering funding for the conference (travel, hotel, meals, and registration fees) to journalists interested in privacy, intellectual property, telecommunications, and cyberlaw. If you hurry, you may be able to get your application in before I send mine.

According to the conference wiki: "This election year will be the first to address U.S. technology policy in the information age as part of our national debate. Candidates have put forth positions about technology policy and have recognized that it has its own set of economic, political, and social concerns. ...Our decisions about technology policy are being made at a time when the architectures of our information and communication technologies are still being built. Debate about these issues needs to be better-informed in order for us to make policy choices in the public interest."

I would expect net neutrality to be a topic at this event. Also, watch the agenda for important issues involving health and medical record systems, e-voting -- and of course, data mining and wiretapping.

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In 1994 I attended the fourth annual CFP in Chicago. It profoundly influenced my ideas on copyright, privacy, digital information, and telecommunications policy. Keynote speaker Phil "PGP" Zimmermann could explain why something I knew nothing about, cryptography, was important to anyone who cared about privacy and free expression. If you have ever used "public keys" or heard about them, that is what Phil invented. Currently he is working on developing a secure voice over Internet protocol (VOIP.)

A standout moment at the 1994 conference occurred when a young representative from the >National Security Administration (NSA) stood at the podium, talking about the risks of someone illicitly hacking into your computer data. He asked people who were more afraid of the government spying on them (rather than organized crime spying on them) to raise their hands. I think he was the only person in the room who didn't raise a hand. Recent news suggests that the crowd was onto something.

Up to 20 journalists will receive conference funding. Application deadline is March 31, 2008. To apply, send a cover letter explaining your interest in the program, along with your resume and three writing samples (by e-mail and hard copy) to Tracey Parr (tracey.parr@yale.edu), Yale Law School, P.O. Box 208215, New Haven, CT 06520-8215.

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